Keep the kids busy with extra-curricular international school activities

Updated on 11th October 2018 by Jessamy Smit|

From sports to music, to technology and even entrepreneurship, these days students get endless opportunities to explore their passions outside school hours. Some call it extra-curricular activity (ECA), others call it co-curricular activity (CCA), clubs, and more.

Signing your children up for an out-of-classroom sport or activity is a great way to keep them active and healthy (and burn off extra energy too, of course). Who knows, you may well be on your way to grooming the next Mark Zuckerberg or Joseph Schooling! Students, parents and coaches from Singapore’s leading international schools talk about the importance of having such activities.

UWCSEA

ACSIS competitions are open to students of all ages

The annual Middle School Drama and Dance production

East Campus Junior School students learn the ropes on the campus climbing wall

OPUS, the annual music showcase for Dover Campus student musicians, is held in the Esplanade Theatre.

Both campuses hold Rock Shows for students to celebrate their talents

UWCSEA East students having a go at pottery

UWCSEA Dover offers taekwondo lessons for Primary students

At UWCSEA, activities are considered a vital part of a UWCSEA education and form a core part of the Learning Programme. The school’s extensive four-season Activity Programme gives students choices in areas such as sports and fitness, music, visual and performing arts, special interests and clubs, academic extension, leadership and service. Many of these activities are included in the cost of tuition, taking place during lunchtime, after school, and sometimes on weekends.

A word from a student: “The team behind Off Tangent, the first Middle School literary magazine at East Campus, is a community of word lovers. The whole experience of producing our first issue has been wonderful. The first day we were all shy and nervous as we stepped into Ms Paula Guinto’s classroom. We had no idea how much work we had ahead of us or how big a project this was going to become. After the first few meetings of defining and explaining what a literary magazine was, that was when the magic started.” – Heidi Foster, Grade 7, and Khushi Raju and Carlotta Menozzi, Grade 6, East CampusUWCSEA Dover, 1207 Dover Road UWCSEA East, 1 Tampines Street 73admissions@uwcsea.edu.sg | uwcsea.edu.sg

GEMS World Academy (Singapore)

GWA Jaguars making a strong impression on the field

At GEMS World Academy (Singapore), every student participates in the Arts and Sports. ECAs in the arts provide opportunities for our students to explore their creative passions. In sports, ECAs provide students the opportunity to participate, as well as compete. The GWA Jaguars engage within the Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools league and already hold championship titles in cross-country, basketball, swimming, and soccer. A word from a student:‘GWA is a really fantastic school. It has amazing sporting facilities and the teachers are understanding, kind and fun. I especially love the extra-curricular activities. In swimming, the coaches motivate and encourage us to push our limits, which is great for a person like me, as I really enjoy challenging myself to do better. When I grow up, I want to be an Olympic triathlon champion. I am determined to get there one day and I know GWA will help me push towards my aspiration.”– Emma Middleditch, Grade 9, National Triathlon Champion.

Singapore American School

Singapore American School Eagles Rugby

Beginning in kindergarten, elementary students have access to over 90 activities in recreation, performing arts, technology, and more. Middle school students have 21 intramural teams, 35 representative teams, and over 20 more general clubs to select from. High school students have over 100 clubs, including 45 service clubs, 11 varsity sports, 14 recreational sports, and seven honour societies to participate in. A word from a parent:“Gymnastics, cooking, robotics, yoga, dance, and badminton are just a few of the after-school activities my kids have been able to participate in at SAS. There is something available for every interest possible and each semester my kids can’t wait to go through the activity list and sign up. The activities are the perfect way for kids to discover their interests and get hands on training from experienced professionals.’– Nicole Rodriguez, parent

Dulwich College (Singapore)

Dulwich College swimming team making waves

Throughout the year students choose from over 150 options, from playing football, singing in the choir and debating current world issues, to exploring the latest computer programmes. They also get the opportunity to participate in a range of competitions both at the local and international level. One such highlight is the Dulwich Olympiad, where every Dulwich College in the world gathers to compete.

A word from a coach:“As the Head of Aquatics at Dulwich College (Singapore), I gain an immense sense of achievement, whether I see a child swim for the first time, enter their first meet or win their first race. We are dedicated to providing swimmers with the opportunity to reach all their swimming goals through commitment and hard work in an environment that fosters a lifelong love for swimming” – Michael Massey, Head of Aquatics

Stamford American International School

Stamford American International School offers rock climbing

Stamford American International School’s CCA programme provides over 300 opportunities for after school activities to their students, aged three to 18. Stamford American’s unique partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation Technical Academy also grooms soccer stars as they learn from the best. A word from a student:“Being a student at Stamford American International School gives me great opportunities to participate in many co-curricular Activities. Last year I was lucky enough to be the vice-captain of the Stamford varsity soccer team in season one, and the captain of the varsity tennis team in season two. It’s amazing to play on both an astro-turf field and tennis courts on the roof! Our school offers academically oriented clubs as well, which helps us to connect the classroom to the real world. I got a group of friends together and we started our own Business Club, competing in a business competition against local college students.” – Jonathan Stark, Grade 12 student.

Nexus International School (Singapore)

Students get to represent Nexus International School in competitions

Students can choose from over 80 CCAs, from the more traditional choices such as choir, netball and chess to contemporary options like Lego Robotics, Trampoline and Movie Making, in addition to being able to compete across 12 sports through ACSIS.

A word from a parent:‘Our children were very excited by the choices they had. Renee and Scarlett have taken up many activities. Renee (11) swims and plays netball while Scarlett (8) is enjoying drama. Coco (6), my youngest, is also eyeing up Taekwondo for next time! I am impressed by how progressive Nexus is, offering CCAs like Mobile App Development and Parkour, but not forgetting the more conventional interests like cooking and ukelele. Before joining an activity, it’s worth doing some research with your kids and making it clear they are committing for the duration. For younger learners, you should also look at what they have on that day. If they have PE lessons on that day, a sporty CCA after school may be too much.” – Greg and Sarah Davies, parents.